A recent study emerged from Penn State University about multispecies biofilms that provide Listeria monocytogenes with a strategy against sanitizers.1 This study brings much-needed attention to a persistent problem in the food safety community. Here, I provide several comments on this topic. (see link above)
What is Biofilm? Understanding Structure and Function
The comprehensive analysis of the Listeria monocytogenes Infections Treatment Market has been released, revealing vital insights into this burgeoning industry. Expected to grow from a robust $4.52 billion in 2023 to an estimated $5.86 billion by 2028, the market witnesses a remarkable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. Incremental market growth signals responsive advancements in the face of food safety challenges and healthcare sector development.
Recent data underscores an increase in foodborne illnesses, particularly incidents involving Listeria monocytogenes. This pathogen is known for causing significant health concerns, including meningitis and gastrointestinal infections, especially in at-risk individuals. Reflective of the market’s growth, healthcare authorities and industry players are engaging more effectively to protect public health with both preventative and therapeutic measures.
Key market drivers include the globalization of food supply chains, intensified research in antimicrobial treatments, and improving diagnostic technologies. Heightened regulatory oversight and education programs further contribute to a proactive approach towards mitigating Listeria infection risks.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2024 – Fratelli Beretta USA, Inc., a Mount Olive, N.J. establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat charcuterie products containing Coppa that may be under processed, which may have resulted in possible contamination with foodborne pathogens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The RTE Coppa products have various best by dates. The products subject to the recall and the product labels can be viewed here.
FSIS is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella. FSIS collected unopened RTE Coppa product as part of the investigation, which tested positive for Salmonella, but that product was not released into commerce. After further investigation, FSIS determined that the product subject to the recall may be under processed. Further testing is ongoing to determine if the product sample that tested positive for Salmonella is related to the outbreak. The company conducted a recall of charcuterie products on January 3, 2024, related to possible Salmonella contamination and FSIS issued a public health alert on January 18, 2024, related to additional charcuterie products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Pathogen, pathogenic, product recall, Recall, Salmonella
Introduction: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is one of the notorious foodborne pathogens causing high mortality through the consumption of contaminated food items. The food safety risk from STEC pathogens could escalate when a group of bacterial cells aggregates to form a biofilm. Bacterial biofilm can diminish the effects of various antimicrobial interventions and enhance the pathogenicity of the pathogens. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have effective control measurements. Bacteriophages can kill the target bacterial cells through lytic infection, and some enzymes produced during the infection have the capability to penetrate the biofilm for mitigation compared to traditional interventions. This study aimed to characterize a new Escherichia phage vB_EcoS-UDF157lw (or UDF157lw) and determine its antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli O157:H7.
Posted in Bacteriophage, Biofilm, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Phage, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli
Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen with worldwide prevalence. Understanding the variability in the potential pathogenicity among strains of different subtypes is crucial for risk assessment. In this study, the growth, survival, and virulence characteristics of 16 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from imported meat in China (2018–2020) were investigated. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and lag phase (λ) were evaluated using the time-to-detection (TTD) method and the Baranyi model at different temperatures (25, 30, and 37 °C). Survival characteristics were determined by D-values and population reduction after exposure to heat (60, 62.5, and 65 °C) and acid (HCl, pH = 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5). The potential virulence was evaluated via adhesion and invasion to Caco-2 cells, motility, and lethality to Galleria mellonella. The potential pathogenicity was compared among strains of different lineages and subtypes. The results indicate that the lineage I strains exhibited a higher growth rate than the lineage II strains at three growth temperatures, particularly serotype 4b within lineage I. At all temperatures tested, serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b consistently demonstrated higher heat resistance than the other subtypes. No significant differences in the log reduction were observed between the lineage I and lineage II strains at pH 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. However, the serotype 1/2c strains exhibited significantly low acid resistance at pH 2.5. In terms of virulence, the lineage I strains outperformed the lineage II strains. The invasion rate to Caco-2 cells and lethality to G. mellonella exhibited by the serotype 4b strains were higher than those observed in the other serotypes. This study provides meaningful insights into the growth, survival, and virulence of L. monocytogenes, offering valuable information for understanding the correlation between the pathogenicity and subtypes of L. monocytogenes.
We fit a power law distribution to US foodborne disease outbreaks to assess under-detection and underreporting. We predicted that 788 fewer than expected small outbreaks were identified annually during 1998–2017 and 365 fewer during 2018–2019, after whole-genome sequencing was implemented. Power law can help assess effectiveness of public health interventions.
Each year in the United States, >800 foodborne outbreaks are reported, causing >14,000 illnesses and >800 hospitalizations (1–3). Foodborne outbreaks range from small, localized outbreaks, such as those associated with a locally contaminated meal shared by family or friends, to large, multistate outbreaks associated with a contaminated food that is widely distributed. Selection and information biases, pathogen testing methods, and outbreak size can affect detection, investigation, and reporting (4). However, few methods are available to estimate the extent of outbreak under detection and underreporting.
Outbreaks can be considered natural occurrences with a mathematical relationship between frequency and size. Several studies have used a power law distribution, where one variable is proportional to the power of another, to help describe disease outbreaks or transmission (5–9). We examined the mathematical relationship between foodborne outbreak frequency and size to estimate the number of expected outbreaks of different sizes, comparing power law, log-normal, and exponential distributions by using censored and complete data to clarify under detection and underreporting.
Pathogen genomics is an important tool in our mission to prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats as well as food safety.
Our new 5-year Pathogen Genomics Strategy will establish a unified programme to enhance and expand our excellence in this field. Using pathogen genomics, we will increase our understanding of infectious disease risks, and enable effective evaluation of interventions to mitigate them.
In this blog post at the above link, we will explore the role of pathogen genomics in UK biosecurity and how we are developing our genomic systems to better protect public health in the UK.
Highlights
Y. enterocolitica was isolated from chicken (74%), pork (80%), salmon (80%) and leafy green (10%) samples
Up to five Y. enterocolitica sequence types (STs) were isolated from the same food sample
Isolates from the same sample and ST differed by 0-74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
Almost all (99%) food Y. enterocolitica isolates were biotype 1A
Around half (51%) of food samples contained an ST previously isolated from UK human sources.
Yersinia enterocolitica is an underreported cause of foodborne gastroenteritis. Little is known of the diversity of Y. enterocolitica isolated from food and which food commodities contribute to human disease. In this study, Y. enterocolitica was isolated from 37/50 raw chicken, 8/10 pork, 8/10 salmon and 1/10 leafy green samples collected at retail in the UK. Up to 10 presumptive Y. enterocolitica isolates per positive sample underwent whole genome sequencing (WGS) and were compared with publicly available genomes. In total, 207 Y. enterocolitica isolates were analyzed and belonged to 38 sequence types (STs). Up to five STs of Y. enterocolitica were isolated from individual food samples and isolates belonging to the same sample and ST differed by 0–74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Biotype was predicted for 205 (99 %) genomes that all belonged to biotype 1A, previously described as non-pathogenic. However, around half (51 %) of food samples contained isolates belonging to the same ST as previously isolated from UK human cases. The closest human-derived isolates shared between 17 and 7978 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the food isolates. Extensive food surveillance is required to determine what food sources are responsible for Y. enterocolitica infections and to re-examine the role of biotype 1A as a human pathogen.
The number of E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria infections has gone up in Ireland, according to 2022 data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting rates for giardiasis, listeriosis, norovirus, rotavirus, salmonellosis, shigellosis, and toxoplasmosis in Ireland decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels. Still, rates for campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, E. coli, and yersiniosis increased or remained unchanged. In 2022, most of these diseases returned to or remained at pre-pandemic levels.
A 2021 cyber-attack at the Health Service Executive (HSE) also affected data validation and collection, reporting of enhanced data variables, and outbreak notification.
FoodWorld 